Virtual Safe Church Workshop: Restorative Practices with Classis Rocky Mountain (Oct. 26 from 7 to 9 pm MST)

In this workshop, participants will experience the history and framework of restorative practices, and how to integrate them in a church setting. 

When: October 26 from 7 to 9 pm Mountain Time (9 to11 pm Eastern)

Who: The Safe Church Team of Classis Rocky Mountain is hosting this workshop on Restorative Practices for leaders in their classis, as well as those in other classes who are interested. Note: The maximum amount of participants is capped at 25 people. This page will be updated if the workshop fills up. 

Register: Sign up here.  

Description: "At my church, we don't fight, we simmer. Then we either blow up or leave." Churches are made up of people; people have conflicts. But often we, as pastors, leaders, and members do not have the capacity to stay committed to relationships, show respect and take responsibility. It is challenging work to use conflict as an opportunity to strengthen relationships.

What is Restorative practice? Restorative Practices are ways of being with one another that are respectful, committed to relationships, and responsibility is taken when harm occurs. It is an alternative way to go about wrong-doing. Rather than overt, punitive measures which are high in discipline which look like doing things to others—or soft, over supportive, paternalistic measures of doing things for others—restorative ways of being are a set of practices or measures that look like doing things with one another, with high expectation and high support. 

This workshop will last for appx. 2 hours and will be led by Rev. Eric Kas, Safe Church Ministry Consultant.

To read more about restorative practices, browse the many articles that have been posted on The Network.  

Outcomes and Goals of this Participative Workshop:

• Outline the history of restorative justice practices and its origins as an alternative to punitive justice practices.
• Explain the fundamental framework of restorative practices, and our call to reconciliation from the scriptures.
• Give participants the opportunity to re-imagine using power, communication and ways of being with one another in our families, congregations,and communities.
• Provide space to practice using restorative questions, affective statements and informal restorative circles with one another.